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43rd Voll-Damm Barcelona International Jazz Festival starts Sunday, Oct. 16, 2011

Announced in a recent news release, the 43rd Voll-Damm Barcelona International Jazz Festival is set to commence Sunday, Oct. 16 through Thursday, Dec. 1, 2011. The month and a half-long celebration will feature performances by Maria Schneider Orchestra, Vijay Iyer Trio, Rudresh Mahanthappa Samdhi, Eliane Elias Brazilian Quartet, Randy Weston and hisAfrican Rhythms Trio, Michel Camilo ‘Mano a Mano’ with Giovanni Hidalgo and Charles Flores, Madeleine Peyroux, Buena Vista Social Club with Omara Portuondo, Pat Metheny with Larry Grenadier and Bill Stewart, Dave Holland with Flamenco guitar legend Pepe Habichuela, Joshua Redman and Brad Mehldau, Michael Janisch-Aruan Ortiz Quintet with Greg Osby and Raynald Colom, and Ken Vandermark’s Made to Break.

This 40-day marathon has something for everyone with more than 60 concerts and artists not just from Italy, which will be featured in a festival within a festival from Nov. 7-14, but also Luísa Sobral from Portugal, Marcin Wasilewski from Poland, The Pepper Pots from Catalonia and 16-year-old sensation Andrea Motis from Barcelona, as well as Paolo Conte, Ryuichi Sakamoto, Jaques Morelenbaum, Tigran Hamasyan Trio and a concert with the Sant Andreu Jazz Band, a big band comprised of members who range in age from seven to 19, with special guests Jesse Davis, Terrell Stafford and Wycliffe Gordon, among others.


Umbria Jazz and Barcelona International Jazz have formed a new partnership titled in Italian Umbria Jazz BarcelonaThese two respected festivals feel it is important to support musical culture and one of  the most exciting jazz scenes in Europe. Italy is a big country with many influences and a vibrant and lively jazz scene. The festival will present world caliber Italian Jazz performers in a week-long celebration from Nov. 7-14, 2011. Featured are Danilo Rea with Flavio Boltro, Gabriele Mirabassi Trio, Giovanni Guidi andGianluca Petrella, Enrico Rava Tribe, Omar Sosa with Paolo Fresu, and Stefano Bollani.


Spain hosted their first professional jazz festival in 1966, it began with a concert at the historic Palau de la Música in Barcelona featuring pianist Dave Brubeck with his classical quartet. Despite surviving the turbulent times of the Franco dictatorship, the festival ceased operations in 1977 and 1980, which ironically were the first years of a democratic Spain. Since the late ’80s, the festival has been organized by The Project, a year-round presenting organization whose efforts reach upwards of 300,000 people annually. The Project was founded in 1988 by producer Tito Ramoneda, who today serves as the organization’s president. In 2011, the festival celebrates its 43rd edition with around 400 musicians, again making the Barcelona Jazz Festival one of the largest and most ambitious jazz festivals in Europe. For more information, go to http://www.barcelonajazzfestival.com/ or http://barcelonajazzfestival.blogspot.com/

By mitchmuse

Global communicator, Journalism, Entrepreneur, Web editor, Blogger, Freelance writer, Jazz enthusiast